This homage will involve a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and four F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, the Polish defense ministry announced on Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Tomasz Sędzikowski, a navigator on the C-130 Hercules, part of the 33rd Air Transport Base in Powidz, west-central Poland, shared details about the event in a video posted on the ministry's social media platforms.
"One of our aircraft will fly over Warsaw at 5 p.m. on August 1 to honor the heroic struggle of Poles fighting for their capital's and their country's freedom during the Warsaw Uprising," Sędzikowski said.
He further elucidated the significance of this engagement by the Air Force, linking it to the support Polish pilots provided during the uprising while serving with the Royal British Air Forces.
"They fought hard to maximize their support missions," he said. "By participating in this commemoration, our air forces continue to embody the spirit of the uprising."
The Warsaw Uprising, which began on August 1, 1944, was the largest armed insurrection by resistance forces in German-occupied Europe during World War II.
Initially planned to last a few days, the fighting extended over two months. Approximately 40,000 to 50,000 insurgents took part, with about 18,000 killed and 25,000 wounded.
The civilian toll was also severe, with 180,000 dead, and following the uprising, nearly 500,000 survivors were expelled from the devastated city, which was almost entirely razed to the ground by the Nazis, in retaliation for the uprising.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP
